Gear Review: Oboz Women's Sawtooth X Hiking Boot
Have you ever tried hiking a mountain in flip-flops? It’s possible but probably not the best idea. Think of hiking boots as armor for your feet – shielding them from rough terrains, unpredictable weather, and all those surprise mud puddles.
This article will dive deep into the Oboz Women’s Sawtooth X Mid Boot! Let’s get to know Oboz as a brand and then the details of this boot and if it may be the right fit for you.
Let’s Get to Know Oboz Footwear
If you’re not familiar with the Obōz brand, to put it briefly, they are a hiking footwear company located in Bozeman, Montana. The company creates durable footwear ranging from rugged hiking boots to cozy, puffy camp shoes. And do you want to know the coolest thing they do? For every pair they sell, they plant a tree!
About The Sawtooth X
Now that you know a little about Oboz, let’s jump into more details about the shoe we’re reviewing:
Model: Women’s Sawtooth X Mid Boot
Waterproof Material: No – but there is a waterproof version
Weight: 15.8 oz (about the weight of a soccer ball)
Width: Comes in regular and wide
Sizing: 5-12 US Women
Cost: $160
Design and Construction
Style: Hey, if you love good-looking boots, the style of the Sawtooth X is very sleek. I’m a person who opts for something practical and not just stylish. This boot delivers on both, which is a win-win! It’s a nice sanddust tan that will go with anything you wear on the trail. And it’ll make any dust or dirt less noticeable.
Construction: The Sawtooth’s midsole is made from a rubberized ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), which means “expanded rubber” in layman's terms. The rubber makes your feet feel like they are walking on cushion platforms. The EVA rubber absorbs most of the shock when your foot strikes the ground, which makes hiking easier on your feet and joints. The boot's exterior is made from oiled nubuck leather, which is a material that has an extra layer of protection against water and stains.
Breathability: I wore these shoes in warm and very humid/foggy weather with moisture-wicking socks. Both my feet did get a little warm from sweating in the boots, but not as bad as when I wore my other waterproof Oboz shoes (because those will keep moisture in more compared to non-waterproof shoes). Overall, these have good breathability because of the webbing that runs along the sides of the boots that allow air flow to come in.
How Do The Sawtooth X Boots Fit?
Breaking Them In: This Oboz Sawtooth women’s boot is very snug. You can feel how much the high-top boots lock in your ankle when fully laced up. The only issue I had with this snugness was the tongue pressing up against my skin a little too much. This bothered me a lot when I was first using these boots. I wore thicker socks to help with this in the beginning, but after breaking these boots in, this isn’t an issue for me anymore!
Sizing: In my old Oboz shoes, I was a size 8. I thought this would translate into the new X styles they came out with, but it did not. It turns out a size eight was too large for me, and I needed to size down. Keep this in mind before you purchase your pair online.
Try Before You Buy: I recommend that you try these boots on at an REI or local outfitter so that you can see if the snugness works for you or not and determine if you need to size up or down. Some people prefer not to have a break in period, and others don’t mind, so just see what works best for you.
Overall, on short to long hikes, these boots provide stability and leave you feeling like you can add more miles. Isn’t that the feeling we want in every shoe?
Sawtooth X Performance on the Trail
After hiking with this boot around the state of Washington, at various local parks and a national park, they performed very well! It didn’t surprise me because the treading on these boots is fantastic. The structure gave me a lot of ankle support on the drastic elevation changes, and I could hike on rocky, muddy, and wet terrain without any issues.
My Favorite Moment with this Gear
My favorite moment with this gear was on the terrain of Mount Rainier/Tahoma National Park! What an adventure. The climate was humid, with light rain and fog. This meant slippery rocks and muddy terrain almost the whole way through. The boots performed very well! I was able to comfortably hike the whole way through without any discomfort. I also had a lot of confidence in these shoes because, similarly to my old pair of Oboz, these have really great treading for the conditions that I was in.
At the top of Rattlesnake Ledge in North Bend, Washington
Pros and Cons of the Oboz Sawtooth X Women’s Boot
Pros
Great treading for extra traction
High-top boots and laces provide solid ankle support
Breathable material for those warmer hikes
Good ankle support with included O FIT Insole®
Style is sleek and perfect for trails
Cons
Can cause chafing and blisters during the break-in period
Very tight and snug material around the ankle
The sizing runs a bit large
Where to Buy
Feel like this boot is a match? I would highly suggest that you purchase these boots through a local outfitter or an REI that allows you to make returns after you test them out on the trail.
Oboz does not let you return them if they have been used. Under their return policy it states all items “must be returned in new and unused condition.”
The Final Verdict
I would recommend it to a friend.
Taking the time to look around at different types of boots is very important. Some may work for others but not work for you. We all have different arches; some of us need more ankle support than others, and a shoe's weight can make a difference (especially if you are into backpacking).
Overall, these boots are great for hikes with scrambling, rough terrain, or anything where you’d need extra ankle support. And the price point is honestly the biggest bang for your buck with how this shoe is constructed.
What are your favorite hiking boots? Tried Oboz? Comment below and share your experience!
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